Author Archives: Jacqueline Ashby

In Vancouver on business this morning. The French novelist Colette immediately came to mind as I perused the sweets! “If I can’t have too many truffles, I’ll do without truffles.” ~  As quoted in Close to Colette by Maurice Goudeket.
#vancouver #thomashaaspatisserie #truffles #andIwillhavethisone #Thursdaymorning #cognaccarameljamaicanrumohmy!

In the long run there is no more liberating, no more exhilarating experience than to determine one’s position, state it bravely, and then act boldly. Action brings with it its own courage, its own energy, a growth of self-confidence that can be acquired in no other way.

Well this made me giggle. I greatly appreciate a fine glass of wine though not for consumption. I have yet to acquire a taste for it unlike milkshakes. However, I am genuinely fascinated by winemaking and the combination of art and science that it demands. About a decade ago I planted a Chardonnay in my backyard as an experiment. It took a few years before the grapes arrived but as you can see they are budding!

What encourages you to live a healthy lifestyle, reduces stress, and helps you cope with trauma? No, it’s not a bag of frozen peas…but close! It’s your best friend. I think we’re fortunate if we can find at least one person that we truly connect with and I have to say I’ve been super blessed to have a handful of amazing people swinging from vines around me. Thank you Steven for always putting a smile on my face. Have a safe trip home and see you soon. #cafeorso #deepcove #mangiare #liegewaffles #breakfastfordinner

More research on friendships here.

Seth! So brilliant. What’s stopping you from taking charge and thinking backwards?

• Do it on purpose. How am I leading up?
• Tell stories that resonate with those in charge.
• Demand responsibility but don’t worry at all about authority.
• Reflect credit but embrace blame. Do small things, things that won’t get you fired, without asking. Lol! And if they work, go to your boss and allow them to take credit. If it doesn’t work, take the blame.
• Connection creates value.
• If they don’t get it, go somewhere that does. If you are working with people that are truly stuck, you need to go find someone that gets it. AMEN!
• If you want to make change, make change for people that deserve it.

Great advice!

Some people go to concerts, comedy shows, or the movies to be entertained. Not nerd me. I go to my thesaurus. I find great amusement in this space. I was looking for another word to use instead of “flow” and this simple task sent me into state of blistering laughter. To explain, I was using flow in the context of organizational communication. As I began reading aloud the list of alternate words such as discharge, leakage, and gush…they just seemed so inappropriate and sparked a giggle. Scanning the screen, I noticed the advertisement to the right. What are the odds? Or should I ask?

Learn more about laughter here:

Microsculpture from Levon Biss on Vimeo. An intensive process but absolutely amazing results! See the exhibition at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History from May 27, 2016 to October 2016.

“A regular leader loves to avoid mistakes. Someone who’s creative actually loves to learn from mistakes.” ~ John Maeda

As a child I spent an inordinate amount of time playing outdoors. Play is instrumental in my ability to develop and hone my creativity. I’m allowed to explore, experiment, build, deconstruct, and fail without judgement. It’s taken years of research and the media’s attention on the corporate ping pong table to acknowledge the value of play in innovation, health, and well-being. In 2014, I presented at UBC’s the Early Years Conference: Shaping Childhood: Factors that Matter to discuss the need to incorporate free play, observation, reflection, and experimentation into the design of children’s learning environments. I refer to the model as PORE. What we know from research is this…Play settings exercise children’s physical, social, and language skills (Brotherson, 2009; Curtis & Carter, 2003). These areas also support imagination, creativity, collaboration, and interaction with others (Johnson, Christie, & Wardle, 2005). Outdoor play settings provide children with exposure to the natural environment and physical world as well as the critical space to develop their fine and gross motor skills (Brotherson, 2009; Johnson et al., 2005).

Children have the right to play and as a society we need to protect that right by allocating the time and space for children to engage with each other; to collaborate and communicate; to develop their physical literacy skills; and to exert that bundle of joy, energy, and spunk. Last year, I was thrilled to learn of the Canadian-based charity Playground Builders. Since 2007, they’ve built 200 playgrounds in war-torn countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Palestinian territories and have provided safe play for over 400,000 children. What I appreciate most about the organization is their focus on supporting the community through the involvement of local people who build and sustain their own playgrounds. We need society to implement and nurture these learning settings for our children as well as our community. Playgrounds are one of the first places where we learn to negotiate, compromise, and exercise peace. To learn more about their wonderful work visit Playground Builders.